Staying Put scheme 'must be funded beyond 2021'

In its latest report, Staying Put Six Years On, the charity states that government funding for the scheme which allows care leavers to stay with foster families until they are 21 has not yet been extended after 2020/21.

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Cuts to local authority services due to the pandemic mean that despite the Department for Education increasing council grants from £23.77m to £33.28m for the scheme, “the future of Staying Put funding beyond 2020/21 is still unaccounted for, and, even with the uplift, local authorities will struggle”, the report states.

It warns that 39 per cent of care leavers aged 19, 20 and 21 in England are not in education, employment or training, compared with 11 per cent of all young people across the UK.

“We know that youth unemployment has gotten worse during the coronavirus pandemic. The unemployment rate generally is at its highest level in two years, and young people have been hardest hit.

“According to the latest figures, those aged 16 to 24 have suffered the biggest drop in employment compared to other age groups. Young care leavers will be a group at particularly high risk,” the report states.

It also warns that without adequate funding, care leavers will become further at risk of homelessness.

Action for Children has laid out a series of options for the government to cover the cost of Staying Put arrangements in the next spending review, which is set to span just one year, focusing solely on Covid-19 recovery.

The options include:

• Matching government funding to what local authorities are currently paying to foster carers at a predicted cost of £58.4m.

• Cover the costs of Staying Put, ensuring Staying Put carers are paid both an allowance and a fee that is separate to allowances and recognise foster carers’ skills and expertise in caring for children. This option would cost around £82.1m.

• Cover the costs of Staying Put, ensuring Staying Put carers are paid an allowance at a predicted cost of £54.8m.

• Cover the costs of Staying Put, with assumption of young person’s financial contribution to the arrangement through their earnings and/or Housing Benefit entitlement at a cost of around £75.3m.

Kate Johal, senior policy adviser at Action for Children, said: “Children who have had the worst start in life are in danger of getting the worst start to their adult life too. These young people are living with the scars of deep and lasting childhood trauma like abuse, neglect or domestic violence and need proper support to give them the chance at a successful future.

“With the coronavirus crisis causing youth unemployment to soar, increased pressures on local authorities and so much uncertainty for so many, there couldn’t be a worse time for a young, vulnerable person to be forced into independence before they’re ready.

“In these precarious times the government must support our most vulnerable young people through guaranteed funding for Staying Put in next month’s Spending Review, so they can remain in the safety and security of home with their foster families for as long as they need to.”

Meanwhile, a separate report into the impact of Covid-19 on care leavers in Wales also called on the Welsh government to clarify funding available for care leavers. 

“Clarification of funding provision both now and in the future, will support corporate parents to address young people’s needs and ward against further and widening disadvantage in their transition to independence,” the report by the University of Cardiff states.

It also recommends that local authorities include the views of young people while planning for Covid-19 response.